Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 24

Still playing catch up this week, so we're gonna have to do a quicker than usual run through the highlights of Episode 24.

Woven Bones continues his singles onslaught of 2009 and the up and coming Zoo Music gives him the larger 12" format to play with. 4 tracks of JAMC-style fuzz rock in a pressing of 500 that sold out in days. Looks like there may be a repress of this one coming soon, so keep an eye on that Zoo Music page. I have to say that, though this 12" isn't quite as strong as his 7"s on Hozac and Sweet Rot, it is nice to see him switch up the vibe a bit. Definite odes to the Cramps and Jesus and Mary Chain, but with their own snotty touch, of course. Keep an eye on Hozac for the debut full length LP.

After some general ignorance on my part, I finally got around to snatching up a copy of the new El Jesus De Magico LP on Columbus Discount. A bit of left hook for those that have been following the group's meager amount of releases from the last few years. Rather than a refined batch of their lo-fi psych-punk, we get two hot sides of stormy kraut-rock dirges. Seriously so damn good. First press of 300 is done but there is, of course, a second pressing out there. In the meantime, nab all of their OOP previous singles free, courtesy of the WFMU Free Music Archive.

Most members of Harry Pussy of been pretty quiet since their 1997 demise. Finally, Bill Orcutt, lead axe-grinder, comes forth with a new solo record. Those expecting free form rock deconstruction may be a little disappointed when they find him destroying what kind of sounds like the blues. The always on point Mapsadaisical reviews it far better than I ever could. Highly addictive. Check the link here for some footage of Orcutt playing a beat up guitar with missing strings. Bonus: Classic interview of Harry Pussy interviewing themselves.

Despite being a relatively new term, Hypnagogic Pop has recently been praised in the Wire for it's reappropration of 80s cheese and slammed by critics for, well, the exact same thing. This new term, which suits groups like Skaters (and it's many offshoots) to a tee, is also being applied to lo-fi acts like Gary War or vintage synth maestros like Oneohtrix Point Never, which I think is stretching it a bit. In this week's podcast, I stuck with acts that define the genre for myself. Skaters related (Spencer Clark's Black Joker) and mysterious member of the Outer Limits Recordings known as Matrix Metals (aka Yoga, aka Explorers and who knows how many more?) are the highlights in the recent onslaught of music from mostly these mostly mysterious performers. Their music creeps around the edge of sleep and flits effortlessly from one eerie soundscape to the next. Matrix Metal's "Flamingo Breeze" is easily the most captivating and endlessly entertaining Hypnagogic Pop release I've heard this year. It's long out of print, but you can snatch it free here. (via Id Reverbations).